Initiatives

RHLO makes a strong effort to work on many initiatives throughout the Columbia community. It is our hope that we leave a lasting impact on Residential Life, the Columbia community, and beyond. Check out some of our current issues we are tackling!

Enforcing the 20ft. Smoking PolicyThe Issue: Many people violate the policy that one must be at least 20 feet away from any residential building while smoking.The Solution: We are currently working with an effective solution with Residential Life

Code BlueThe Issue: Professors, faculty, and other relevant people on campus are not properly trained on the lockdown procedure and are therefore not prepared to respond in the event of an emergency.The Solution: We plan to work with higher level administrators on campus to institute a training program for everyone who should be familiar with Code Blue, the lockdown procedure.

Tackling Food InsecurityThe Issue: There are students on campus that suffer from issues related to food insecurity and do not currently have access to appropriate resources to alleviate the problem.The Solution: We plan to partner with GSSC, FLIP, and other campus organizations to create a food bank on campus.

Residence Hall Hallway DecorationsThe Issue: Due to a lack of clarity on Fire Safety’s parameters for permissible hallway decorations, residence hall hallways are bare and do not provide for as positive a living space as is actually possibleThe Solution: After meeting with Fire Safety, we are now much better informed about the guidelines for safe decorating. Our Hall Councils will engage in a friendly competition to decorate their hallways within the Fire Safety guidelines.

Addressing Mental Health In Residence Halls

The Issue: Mental health continues to be a critical issue on campus, and there is currently a lack of measures that proactively address the problem within the residence halls.

The Solution: We are working on a campaign initiative to address the issue that involves a promoting the Counseling and Psychological Services (CPS) satellite offices, as well as other interactive components.

Are you interested in collaborating with RHLO for an event or initiative?
Please email us at rhlo@columbia.edu or contact: